Well, I really wonder what our dear President thinks…I know that he's a President and he's meant to have much on his mind but I wonder how much he really has, I question the quality of his thought and plans he has for our dear Nigeria. It has been just a little over two years into his tenure and he says he is still "planning". That makes me wonder what he was doing before he got elected into office. So what really is Mr President thinking about? As harsh as this may sound, he seems rather inept in the discharge of his duties…it's like he's just drifting by and filling a four year gap. If annals were to be written of the works of past President, it'll look something like this:
- General Abdusallam Abubakar: Released imprisoned icons (Obasanjo, Diya…), successfully handed over to a civilian administration
- Olusegun Obasanjo: Allowed GSM operators in, achieved some debt cancellation, probably deregulation, NAFDAC, EFCC, ICPC e.t.c
- Yaradua: …….successfully handed over(hopefully)
I really hope that this will not be the case though. Well I did my own little review of different situations happening around the nation and I'm still trying to evaluate the quality of Mr presidents reactions to them. Maybe I should just leave you to make yours too.
1. Amnesty
Now we're granting pardon and cash (20,000per month and 1500 per day for food) for militants who lay down their arms with the government. The militants, via their spokesman, have demanded for 300 thousand naira for every AK 47 rifle and pack of magazine handed over to the government and also that the FG build a 3 bedroom bungalow for each militant in a location that the militant desires. Now, on the part of the militants, that raises a question, was this fight all for the money or for the collective interest of the south-south people. If no, why are they willing to trade their plight for these self gaining demands? On the part of the government, if compensation is given to the militants, what is the guarantee that in the nearest future the militants won't pick up arms again and demand for more settlements? We're paying to keep them greedy and we're rendering them jobless. 20,000 naira per month just for laying down arms! I guess I better go sign up with MEND and partake of this kind gesture of my government. Well I don't have a full solution for the Niger Delta crisis but I really don't think this is a well thought out plan. I'd rather suggest that the militants lay down their arms for drills in addition to the payments thus making themselves industrially useful to the development of their region. I also suggest that the government meet the initial demand of their plight (infrastructural development of the Niger Delta region and a proportionate allocation of FG revenue to the oil rich region) by laying down an implementable scheme that will executed over a certain period of time.
2. Boko Haram (Western Education is Sin)
On this grounds, I can boldly say that Mr President and President Bush of the US share common ground. About Six months before September 11 attack on world trade centre in the US, Pres. Bush received intelligence report on likely terrorist attacks in the US especially at New York but instead he decided to embark on a vacation and left the intelligence reports to manifest to a major terrorist attack. Nevertheless, our own Mr President decided to raise the stakes, he received 21 security alerts on book haram activities and did NOTHING! Not only him, but also the Borno State Gov was fully aware of their activities and yet prevented security agencies attempt to curb the activities of the boko haram movement. So please tell me, WHAT WAS MR PRESIDENT THINKING? I think he was thinking about Fashola…
3. ASUU
Well, we're willing to pay 65,000 to militants per month and also about 40million naira to senators per month so why can't ASUU be granted their demands for salary increase and also for development of infrastructure in our tertiary institutions. So what really is President Yaradua thinking? He initially claimed not to be aware of the strike (when the strike had entered its second week) and then he went silent on the issue and next, he was off to Brazil. They say that the demands cannot be met. I advice ASUU to go lift up arms….maybe their demands will be met in form of amnesty. Now Mr. President says that these demands can only be met up to 40%. Now I'm thinking, if ASUU didn't embark on this industrial action, would FG have known that they could even afford 40%? Someone isn't thinking about education then…so what is he really thinking about…oh! I know what he's thinking about, he's thinking about Lagos State…….
4. Lagos State
Now I'm puzzled; of all the problems that faces Nigeria Lagos state seems to be Mr Presidents number 1 source of concern. Just before he left for Brazil, despite the crisis looming in the Niger Delta, and the 21 security reports (on terrorist threats) concerning Boko Haram, the only notable statement he gave was to Lagos state governor; threatening him with an ultimatum to revert back to 20 local governments. Ever since he returned from Brazil, the Lagos state issue has been top priority out of Aso Rock. How can a progressive Governor and State be a major worry for Mr President? One will expect the President to fill the media with praises for the Lagos State Governor and use him as a yard stick for other governors yet Mr President scorns at him. On a lighter mood however, Lagos state seems to have brought out an un-usual unseen stricter side of our President. Well I see how Fashola can be a threat….2011 can explain that. So what is Mr President really thinking about? 2011?
Please if you know what Mr President is thinking, let me know oh…..He just seems to be drifting through this tenure. Even Pres. Obasanjo didn't do this bad in his first two years.
Any way if you're an advocate of change like me, let's give President Yaradua something to think about. Let him know that 2011 is impossibility for him and his party PDP except they can sincerely prove themselves. Let's get him thinking on the fact that Nigeria does not be belong to some power drunk men but rather belong to the free spirited and progressive people of the country. Let's get him thinking that he cannot put new wine into old wine skins, that he cannot do things the same way to get a different result! Let's get him thinking that getting Dora out of NAFDAC and Ribadu out of EFCC is not a progressive act.
Let us take to the streets and educate people that WE CAN determine the future of Nigeria come 2011 if only we believe in our abilities and also in change. Let us choose to vote for change without compromise and choose to be the change to be voted for! Together, I know that with God on our side, Nigeria will undisputedly be the most desirable nation to live in come 2025! God bless you and God bless Nigeria.
For more information on how you can be a part of a movement to change the future on Nigeria now by taking action, visit www.thefuturemovement.org/register
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